I have a sony video camcorder.
I was thinking of buying a dvd-video combo recorder so I can copy from camcorder to DVD.
Is this necessary?
Or can I just buy a DVD recorder and copy from my camcorder to disc from there?
thanks

I have a sony video camcorder.
I was thinking of buying a dvd-video combo recorder so I can copy from camcorder to DVD.
Is this necessary?
Or can I just buy a DVD recorder and copy from my camcorder to disc from there?
thanks

In any case, you’ll only need a DVD recorder for this task. DVD-Video combo recorders accept only the large-size VHS tapes, and cannot accept 8mm or digital tapes directly. Get a DVD recorder with both analog and a Firewire digital input just in case your camcorder happens to be a digital model.

If you think you might want to become more hands-on, you could put a “capture card” in your computer and connect your Sony Camcorder to it with cables. You could also connect the Sony with a USB capture device if your computer has USB 2.0 but all of this assumes you have a DVD burner. You would also need software (freeware and commercial are available).

If you think you might want to become more hands-on, you could put a “capture card” in your computer and connect your Sony Camcorder to it with cables. You could also connect the Sony with a USB capture device if your computer has USB 2.0 but all of this assumes you have a DVD burner. You would also need software (freeware and commercial are available).

You really have a lot of options.

Alternatively, if that Sony camcorder is a digital model, the OP can also connect it directly to his PC using either Firewire 400 or USB 2.0 (assuming that his PC already has DVD-authoring software and a DVD burner). That way, he will avoid the quality loss caused by converting digital to analog and back.